Tony Bradley talks about what he learned from Joel Embiid, Dwight Howard

Logan Newman
·2 min read

There aren’t many players in the NBA who are better for a young center to play behind than Joel Embiid and Dwight Howard.

Embiid, an MVP candidate this season, has been one of the best players on both ends of the ball for the last four years. Howard is among the best centers in NBA history, a future Hall of Famer who led the Orlando Magic to a Finals appearance in 2009.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Tony Bradley spent time behind both this season when he was on the Philadelphia 76ers. He said there were two key things he took away from them.

“Mainly from watching them the time I was there in Philly, the physicality they bring defensively and their awareness off the ball,” Bradley said. “Those two are the first things that I see, especially physicality.”

They have made their careers off their physicality, particularly on the defensive end. Howard won Defensive Player of the Year three years in a row from 2008-11, and Embiid has been on two All-Defensive teams in the last three years.

Those areas Bradley grew from watching them can help him as he works to secure his next contract.

The 23-year-old is set to be a restricted free agent, so his remaining games are essentially tryouts for the Thunder and other teams around the league.

After emerging as a viable NBA player with the Utah Jazz last season, his third in the league, Bradley saw limited time on the court in the Sixers’ loaded center rotation this year. He was traded to the Thunder at the deadline as part of the deal for guard George Hill.

Bradley has seen a bit more time with the Thunder, and his stats have increased accordingly. He is averaging 8.9 points and 6.3 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game, each of which is better than his numbers over his 20 appearances with the Sixers.

Over the last two seasons, he has shot 66.5% from the field. Bradley is looking to prove his reliability on both ends of the court as the Thunder — and perhaps other teams — evaluate if he is worth a spot on a roster.

This post originally appeared on OKCThunderWire. Follow us on Facebook!